1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bone implants and, more particularly, to biocompatible forms for use in supporting bone graft material.
2. Description of the Art
When a person experiences a loss of teeth due to trauma or other circumstances, or has teeth with periodontal disease, there is often a loss of interproximal crestal alveolar bone. This bone loss may also result in the loss of a person's interproximal or papillary oral tissue between the corresponding teeth and may cause a bone defect that is very unappealing aesthetically, and difficult to restore. The greater the atrophy of this alveolar bone, in either the maxilla or mandible, the less predictable the regeneration of this bone will be using current grafting procedures and associated structures, including those which are either permanently or temporarily implanted. Without the proper regeneration of this bone defect, any replacement tooth is likely to be mal-positioned, out of proportion and shape and form and lack interproximal tissue for a natural appearance.
The loss of teeth or periodontal disease may also result in the loss of root prominence alveolar bone, in either the maxilla or mandible. In the case of the mandible, the loss of teeth or periodontal disease may also result in a loss of mylohyoid ridge bone on either one or both sides of the mandible. Loss of root prominence alveolar bone or mylohyoid ridge bone further complicates the ability of the dentist to properly regenerate the lost bone and makes it more likely that the artificial tooth will be improperly positioned since the corresponding dental implant or support structure is supported by the root prominence bone and, depending on the particular tooth, may also be supported by the mylohyoid ridge bone.
Many attempts have been made to regenerate normal bone height and contours ranging from block grafts of bone, to grafts supported by screws or other metal supports. Known conventional graft techniques have failed to regenerate bone contours predictably and often result in placing grafted bone in locations where it is not needed, or regenerate bone that is over or under contoured. This often causes the patient to have multiple tissue and bone surgeries to correct the contours of the first graft.
One of the main goals in any attempt to replace a missing tooth is to position the tooth so that it will restore the natural appearances of the surrounding support bone and tissue. However, with the lack of bone in the atrophied maxilla or mandible, these criteria are impossible to accomplish and the results are poor with known techniques and devices. In these cases the dentist is required to restore the missing teeth and tissue contours with an artificial prosthesis, which replaces bone and soft tissue and tooth structure and may be supported by implants. The tissue and the tooth position are corrected by the prosthesis and not by the bone graft. No existing grafting technique attempts to restore the important interproximal scalloped bone contours that are critical to the proper placement of dental implants and aesthetics. One of the main problems associated with conventional methods for replacing teeth with implants is the creation of a “black hole” defect between teeth. This results from the lack of bone and tissue between the restored teeth and is very unnatural and is not aesthetically appealing to the patient.
Additional problems exist with known techniques associated with dental implants and bone grafts. For instance, dental implants are often placed in available bone or grafted bone that may not be in the proper position where teeth should be placed. The proper placement may actually be outside the dimensions of the bone. In these cases, if implants are placed in this bone, the dentist is forced to use advanced prosthetic techniques, such as angled abutments, longer transcutaneous abutments and/or custom cast abutments and frameworks to place a crown on an implant in an unnatural position. Usually, the defect is so great that the only prosthesis that can be used is the implant-supported denture, which artificially restores bone, tissue and tooth structure for the patient.
In view of the foregoing deficiencies associated with known devices and methods for regenerating dental bone in order to replace missing teeth, there remains a need for a biocompatible form and associated method for use in supporting bone graft material so that missing alveolar bone is restored to its natural contours thereby permitting dental implants to be placed in the exact position where the missing teeth were originally positioned in the skeletal bone, and allowing missing teeth to be replaced in their natural position.